


Jewelled birds

by PerseusHuntress



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 14:29:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16834462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerseusHuntress/pseuds/PerseusHuntress





	Jewelled birds

“Keema!” Reyes put on his most radiant smile.

“You know that doesn’t work on me,” she observed him amused. She has met men like him, men like the jewelled birds of Aya, pretentious pretty things, that flitted around making a lot of noise. Even now, in her unimpressed company, Reyes postured. The King of the Underworld on his throne in Tartarus, arms draped casually across the back of the seat, a playful smile just touching his lips, warm, inviting, and fake. But for all the meticulous forgery, she could feel the tightly sprung coil inside of him, a core of tempered steel. She knew little of his past, but the way he ran the Collective left little to the imagination. He did what had to be done, with ruthless efficiency. 

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” he ignored her jab and continued smiling.

“I have concerns” she answered folding herself beside him, throwing one graceful leg over the other, if he insisted on the game, she would meet his challenge.

His eyes narrowed “Should I be worried?”

“You should always worry boy” she drawled, watching his eyes harden as she pushed back.

He didn’t respond, just watched her expectantly.

Keema gazed back, gently rocking her leg rhythmically. It was too easy to get him worked up, it would be his downfall one day. 

“Well?” he pursed his lips frowning.

She smiled showing too much teeth “You are losing control, Reyes.”

“Of what precisely?” he answered indignant.

“The Plan.” Her tone evened, she needed him to understand and as amusing as it was prodding at his ego, he didn’t respond well when angry. “You seemed to be entirely blinded. She has the power here, she is the one with the influence, the one who is always a step ahead of you. And you are letting her get to you, letting her in.”

“Please, Keema, Sloane is in hand. Besides I have my ace, the Pathfinder” Reyes scoffed waving her off with a self-satisfied smile, all earlier tension draining out of him.

Keema felt a rush of infuriating frustration roll over her.

“I am talking about the Pathfinder” she spoke through gritted teeth.

“Sometimes I wonder what you angara drink,” Reyes scoffed “You should share next time. I am curious”.

“Stars Reyes, but you are dazzled by your infatuation!” Keema closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose “Ryder can bring this entire thing crashing down on your head! She has her Initiative at her finger tips, the Moshae is indebted to her, Evfra will go to war for her, she single-handedly dismantled impenetrable Khett facilities and her crew? I’ve met Ama Derav, you do not fuck with him. And who are you? Some insignificant mob boss she can destroy without disturbing a single hair on her pretty head. She is letting you continue for her own amusement. She doesn’t need you. Not really.“

A visceral rage contorted his face "Who the hell gave you the right?!”

"Stop underestimating her! She is using you, just as much as you are using her! The difference is that she is fully aware that you are playing her, whilst you are living under a perverse impression that she is besotted with you. A few well-placed words and you are enthralled!” Frustrations spilled out of her in a flood. Her own future depended on his success, and as much as she liked the sound of Ryder, she was not letting anyone stand in her way.

Keema let her words settle and braced for an explosion, which never came. 

Reyes slumped in his seat, the ornate facade crumbling into dust. He looked exhausted, broken.

“What do you want me to do?” He exhaled heavily.

“Tell her. Tell her who you really are. It will tell you everything you need to know.” she begged him.

“And if she turns me away?” There was genuine anguish in his voice. She could not help but stare, she did not expect the roots of his affection to be so deep. It’s been less than a month since Ryder set a foot on Kadara.

“You move on” her voice was gentle, Reyes surprised her on daily basis but this was just unnatural. The Reyes she knew shuffled partners like an expert card player, a beautiful asari dancer snagged at one of Sloane’s wilder parties, a dashing captain of an Initiative vessel blown off course by the Scourge, they were nothing but pretty baubles he collected, frivolous entertainment. He has never wavered before, his laser focus never waning.

He closed his eyes and inhaled “No. I can’t. We need her.”

“We or you?” Keema frowned.

“We.” He snarled back. “We need her, and we need her ‘power’. She won’t go along with it if she knows who I am”

“Why are you so sure of that?” Keema swallowed, his eyes betrayed him, she saw only fear in them, beneath the anger his agitation was tangible. She had a sudden urge to reach out to him, comfort him. She regretted her barbed words, well-meaning as they were, they were clearly misplaced.

“Because I lied.” He sighed heavily.

She shook her head in resignation “Just promise me this. When the inevitable moment does come, stop lying to yourself. And if she does walk away, don’t follow her.”

“If?” he laughed bitterly.

Keema smiled softly “Your people crossed the stars into a new galaxy, stranger things have happened Reyes.”


End file.
